A Worldwide Network

This scheme is designed to supplement the regular IASH Visiting Fellowship scheme by encouraging Schools within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences to nominate scholars from outwith the University whose research will contribute directly to the research plans of the sponsoring unit and the current interests of the Institute.

The Fellowships will be for a maximum tenure of 3 months per person during a period of intensive collaboration with a number of staff. Each Fellow will have a private office in the Institute and will be expected to play a full part both in the activities of the Institute and of the sponsoring group of scholars. There is no stipend associated with these Fellowships, but travel funds can sometimes be made available if needed.

Our most popular scheme is the Postdoctoral Fellowship (up to 10 months), offering about 10 places per year to postdocs from around the world working in any discipline within the arts, humanities and social sciences. Our newest Fellowship programme, the Public Engagement Fellowship, is aimed at postdoctoral researchers seeking to develop their public engagement skills. The RACE.ED Stuart Hall Foundation Fellowship (3 to 6 months) is designed to support research that engages meaningfully with the works of Stuart Hall, building on the Institute Project on Decoloniality from 2021-24. Scholars working on gender and sexualities studies are encouraged to apply for the GENDER.ED Postdoctoral Fellowship (3 to 10 months).

Historians may be interested in the Daiches-Manning Memorial Fellowship in 18th-Century Scottish Studies (2 to 6 months). Scholars with an interest in digital arts, digital humanities, digital education, digital design and digital social sciences may wish to apply for the Digital Research Postdoctoral Fellowship (3 to 6 months). Researchers working in the field of contemporary Islam and Muslim culture can apply for the IASH-Alwaleed Postdoctoral Fellowship (3 to 10 months), while scholars in public theology can apply for the IASH-CTPI Duncan Forrester Fellowship (3 to 10 months).

Scholars wishing to examine specific special collections held at the University of Edinburgh can apply for the Heritage Collections Research Fellowship (3 to 6 months), while special collections in Scotland's national museums are the focus of the IASH-National Museums Scotland Fellowship (3 to 6 months). Those working in the social sciences, political science, sociology, international relations, social anthropology, sustainable development and associated fields may wish to apply for the IASH-SSPS Research Fellowship (2 to 4 months).

While most of our schemes are open to scholars from any country, some are targeted at scholars from specific countries; for Indian nationals, we offer the Charles Wallace India Trust Fellowship (3 months), as well as the Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust Fellowship (2 to 3 months) for Pakistani nationals, and US citizens or foreign nationals in the US or permanent residents affiliated with a US institution may apply for the American Philosophical Society Fellowship (2 to 4 months). We also offer the British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowship (12 months) for postdoctoral researchers based in any ODA-recipient country where the British Council operates. Lastly, early career researchers who already have their own funding but wish to be affiliated to the University of Edinburgh may apply for the Visiting Research Fellowship (minimum of 2 months), which provides an office at IASH but is not accompanied by a bursary.

The Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF) is Bielefeld University’s Institute for Advanced Study. It offers opportunities—with respect to time, space, and funding—for outstanding interdisciplinary reearch. ZiF is open to scholarly applicants from all disciplines post-PhD, based at a university/research institute in Germany or abroad. Applicants may propose a research project to be conucted with a curated group of (preferably) international colleagues. In support of the work of groups on-site in Bielefeld, ZiF allocates financial resources and pro- vides infrastructure as well as organisational assistance. If an application is successful, ZiF then hosts these groups on its campus, offering ideal working conditions.

 Visiting Groups can, for example, explore new research topics and partnerships, finalise inter-disciplinary publications or conduct small research projects during their stay at ZiF. ZiF cannot support projects that require essential fieldwork, nor can it provide laboratory facilities.

WHAT ZIF OFFERS

• Duration: one stay at ZiF; lasting a minimum of one to a maximum of three months
• Funding Amount: up to EUR 50,000 to cover the costs for travel and accommodation, workshops and/or conferences on-site; please note: personnel expenses (buy-outs) cannot be covered, but an allowance of EUR 50 per day will be paid as a compensation for any additional costs
• Timing: Projects can commence approximately 12 months after the deadline. Dates for a stay at ZiF will be finalized once a grant was made, depending on availability.

Group Requirements

• Size: The minimum number of participants required for a group is three.
• Composition: Different disciplines must be involved; international participation is strongly encouraged. Decisions to not include international fellows must be well justified.
• We expect convenors and the majority of a group to be present at ZiF for their collaboration phase. Additional remote participants may be involved.
• The necessity for interdisciplinary collaboration must originate from the research at hand and must be explained in the proposal. The mere involvement of different disciplines does not suffice to meet this criterion.
• The stage of preparation of the proposed project should clearly show its feasibility within the timeframe suggested.
• A gender balance appropriate to the disciplines involved is expected.

Important Selection Criteria

• Interdisciplinarity
• Academic quality
• Originality on an international level

Selection Process and Timing

Proposals will be selected competitively. Complete submissions will be reviewed externally. Decisions will be made approximately 6 months after the deadline.

CHECKLIST FOR APPLICATIONS

Applications must be submitted by a team of two to four persons who also act as convenors of the group they propose. All convenors must have completed a doctorate and must be affiliated with a research institute/university. One of them acts as the main contact person. 

ANSWERS TO BUDGET-SPECIFIC AND GENERAL QUESTIONS CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN OUR FAQ.

Please contact us with any questions; we are happy to assist!
Dr. Daniela Noll-Opitz  
Dr. Nadine Sutmöller
Email: zif-proposalsupportuni-bielefeld [dot] de (zif-proposalsupport[at]uni-bielefeld[dot]de)

Please address your application to:
Executive Directors 
Prof. Dr. Marie I. Kaiser
Prof. Dr. Eleonora Rohland

Upload your application IN ONE PDF FILE (including CVs) here.

Find all our funding formats here.